zuì

(before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est

(after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world")

Sun (日) + seize (取) = reaching the absolute most

取 means to take or seize; combined with 日 (the sun), 最 evokes taking the sun itself — reaching for the absolute peak of what exists. Over time it grammaticalized into the superlative marker we use today.

+
To takeSemantic
The sunSemantic

Words with 最

六方最密堆积

liù fāng zuì mì duī jī

hexagonal close-packed (HCP) (math.)

压死骆驼的最后一根稻草

yā sǐ luò tuo de zuì hòu yī gēn dào cǎo

the straw that broke the camel’s back (idiom)

帕累托最优

pà lèi tuō zuì yōu

Pareto efficiency (economics)

最小平方法

zuì xiǎo píng fāng fǎ

method of least squares (math.) (Tw)

最低潮

zuì dī cháo

lit. low tide

最低谷

zuì dī gǔ

lowest point

最低限度

zuì dī xiàn dù

the bare minimum; the lowest acceptable limit or standard

最低音

zuì dī yīn

lowest voice

最低点

zuì dī diǎn

lowest point; nadir; minimum level

最佳

zuì jiā

optimum

最佳化

zuì jiā huà

(computing, math.) to optimize

最优

zuì yōu

optimal

More characters with 日